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Drug Treatment Courts: Choosing Between Rehabilitation and Recidivism
No full textThe presentation discusses the use of drug treatment courts to serve justice to those whose offenses are related to their struggle with illicit drug use. Drug treatment courts are described and its benefits are outlined. These courts are compared to treatment of drug offenders within the normal justice system, and the drawbacks of drug treatment courts are discussed. This informs the future of drug treatment courts int he United States
Case Study: Gait Analysis of a Collegiate Middle Distance Runner
Get PDFRunning performance is closely tied to the efficiency and mechanics of an athlete’s gait. At the Sacred Heart University Pioneer Performance Center (PPC), we utilize advanced gait analysis to help runners gain valuable insight into their biomechanics. Through comprehensive musculoskeletal testing and state-of-the-art motion capture technology, athletes are provided with actionable data that can lead to improvements in running economy, form, and injury prevention. In this case study, data were collected using Theia ); border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; background-size: 5px; color: rgb(99, 37, 35); font-size: 24pt; font-family: Rockwell, Rockwell_EmbeddedFont, Rockwell_MSFontService, Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, Rockwell_MSFontService, Calibri, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px; font-kerning: normal; line-height: 6px; vertical-align: 0.228611px; \u3eMarkerless Motion Capture technology during both walking and running trials. A bilateral gait report was also generated using ); border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; background-size: 5px; color: rgb(99, 37, 35); font-size: 24pt; font-family: Rockwell, Rockwell_EmbeddedFont, Rockwell_MSFontService, Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, Rockwell_MSFontService, Calibri, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px; font-kerning: normal; line-height: 6px; vertical-align: 0.228611px; \u3eNoraxon ); border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; background-size: 5px; color: rgb(99, 37, 35); font-size: 24pt; font-family: Rockwell, Rockwell_EmbeddedFont, Rockwell_MSFontService, Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, Rockwell_MSFontService, Calibri, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px; font-kerning: normal; line-height: 6px; vertical-align: 0.228611px; \u3eMyoPressure to assess plantar pressure distribution. Additional analysis focused on muscle activation patterns and strength symmetry between the left and right sides of the body to identify potential imbalances or compensatory movement patterns. This analysis not only aids in understanding the root causes of chronic injury but also supports performance optimization by guiding individualized intervention strategies. The PPC continues to lead in applying cutting-edge technology to enhance athletic performance through data-inspired movement analysis, and by looking at the bigger picture of each athlete
“Mind the Gap”: How a Simple Cue Changes Heel Distance and Shuffle Speed
Get PDFLateral motion plays a crucial role in multidirectional sports, where athletes must rapidly accelerate, decelerate, and change direction in small spaces.1 A common technique in these situations is the lateral shuffle.2 However, coaching cues that alter natural mechanics such as instructing athletes not to let their feet come together, may influence both movement strategy and performance outcomes.3 This study aimed to determine whether athletes respond to this coaching cue and, if so, how it impacts performance.4 Twelve physically active individuals (7 females, 5 males) without recent lower limb injuries participated in the study. Each completed lateral shuffle trials under two conditions: a self-selected strategy and a cued strategy instructing participants to maintain foot separation. Trials were performed to both the left and right, with motion captured using high-speed video and marker-less motion analysis software (Theia3D). Key performance metrics included peak center-of-mass (COM) velocity, time to 2.5 meters, reaction time, and minimum heel separation (MHS). Results showed that the cue effectively altered mechanics by increasing MHS, confirming compliance with the instruction. However, this change led to significantly slower times to 2.5 meters, indicating a performance cost. No significant differences were found in reaction time or MHS between directional trials, though right-side movements consistently produced faster and more powerful outcomes. In conclusion, while the coaching cue successfully modified foot positioning, it negatively affected speed. These findings highlight a trade-off between movement control and performance and suggest that widely used coaching strategies may need reevaluation when optimizing for speed in lateral tasks
Evaluating Skeletal Muscle Mass and Peak Torque Deficits Post-ACL Reconstruction in Soccer Athletes with the Biodex
Get PDFThis project explores the application of Biodex testing to evaluate muscular strength, balance and neuromuscular control of soccer players post ACLR. Our study includes one female and two male soccer players recovering from ACL reconstruction surgery. The goal is to evaluate their readiness to safely return to play by identifying strength imbalances and monitoring recovery process. As part of the assessment, the SECA machine was used to measure body composition, including muscle and fat mass, by sending a safe, low intensity electrical signal through the body. This data helps establish a baseline for lean muscle mass, supporting interpretation of strength outcomes. Biodex isokinetic testing provides objective data on quadriceps and hamstring strength, allowing for the identification of deficits in peak torque during flexion and extension which may increase the risk of reinjury. Peak torque is the highest force output during a repetition and is indicative of a muscle\u27s strength capabilities2. This data is used to guide individualized rehabilitation protocols, ensuring athletes regain optimal strenath and stability belore returning to pla
The Game From the Ads
No full textI created a small video game project to test my skills and creative thinking. I based the game on the barrel shooter mobile game ads from Evony: The King\u27s Return and created the game in Unity 6 using C#
Off-Season Strength and Conditioning Program for a Collegiate Rugby Athlete Post-Rehabilitation from Tibia-Fibula Fracture
No full textThis project examines the off-season strength and conditioning program for a sophomore Division I rugby athlete transitioning from rehabilitation to full recovery following a compound tibia-fibula fracture. After completing surgical intervention and physical therapy, the athlete\u27s primary goals now center on improving ankle stability for cutting movements, minimizing discomfort during running, and restoring lower-body strength and power to support optimal on-field performance. Initial assessments identified asymmetries in unilateral mobility and power, alongside movement inefficiencies related to landing mechanics and joint stability. This program prioritizes progressive strength training and low level plyometrics to address the strength needs and optimal mechanics to allow for a progression into explosive movements in later phases that are more important for the sport of rugby. The findings highlight the importance of tailored programming for athletes in post-rehabilitation phases to achieve functional recovery and performance optimization
Use It or Lose It: Examining the Language Use, Acquisition, and Transmission of Irish in Ireland and Minority Languages in the United States Through Study Abroad
Get PDFThis paper explores the interplay of language use, acquisition, and transmission, with a primary focus on the Irish language in Ireland and comparisons to minority languages in the United States. It delves into the historical, cultural, and societal factors including colonization, educational policies, and societal attitudes that have influenced the status of the Irish language. Through the lens of pragmatics, this analysis highlights how language serves as both a tool for communication and a carrier of cultural identity, emphasizing the importance of meaningful language use in sustaining minority languages. Comparisons to the United States illuminate parallels in challenges such as intergenerational transmission, societal pressures, and limited immersion opportunities. The findings underscore the necessity of intentional efforts to maintain and revitalize minority languages within dominant linguistic cultures.
Keywords: Irish language, language acquisition, language transmission, minority languages, cultural identity, pragmatics, language revitalization, societal attitude
Sex Differences in Anxiety and Depression: Insights from Adult Rodent Models of Chronic Stress and Neural Plasticity
No full textThe often co-morbid conditions of depression and anxiety are the most common mental illnesses and are more prevalent among females than males. Chronic stress paradigms in rodents serve as valuable preclinical models for investigating the factors contributing to these disorders and their neural underpinnings. A variety of chronic stressors are associated with the development of sexually differentiated effects on anxiety-and depressive-like responses in rodents. This review summarizes and discusses common behavioral tasks used to assess anxiety-like (e.g., elevatedplus maze, open field) and depressive-like (e.g., sucrose preference, forced swim) behaviors in rodents and discusses evidence of sex differences in these responses. Preclinical chronic stress models also aid in identifying potential mechanisms underlying behavioral changes, including dendritic synaptic alterations in neural circuits affected by stress. Robust sex differences have been observed in stress-responsive brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. Therefore, applying chronic stress paradigms and assessing their neural effects in rodents may provide crucial insights into the biological basis of sexually differentiated mental illnesses in humans
Improving Teacher Capacity to Support Student Wellness in the Classroom
Get PDFThis mixed methods Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP), examined the impact of a social emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, Character Strong, on teacher’s SEL knowledge, belief, and practices. This study, conducted in a rural northeastern state, trained teachers to use Character Strong, a low-burden, high-impact SEL curriculum for six weeks. Participants generated quantitative data via three surveys. Two were administered in a pre and post test format, and the Wilcoxon signed rank test was administered to establish statistical significance. The third survey was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Teacher participants generated qualitative data through interview processes. Qualitative and Quantitative data were integrated to generate a deeper understanding of results. Overall, the Character Strong curriculum did improve teacher SEL knowledge, beliefs, and practices. Quantitative data generated statistically significant results regarding the improvement of teacher knowledge and skills. Although no statistically significant quantitative results were generated with the teacher belief domains, qualitative data generated improvement in some areas of teacher beliefs. Overall, teachers were overwhelmingly supportive of the Character Strong curriculum, observed practical benefits to students and experienced improved self-efficacy, resulting in more robust classroom-based SEL practices